A Year-Round AI Activation Series

HBCU AICONAI Conference & Training Summit

A national movement to put AI into action across HBCUs - connecting workforce development, campus activation, and equitable innovation into one 12‑month ecosystem.

600+
Teachers, Students, Policy Makers & Techies
1/3
Of the Nation's HBCUs
25
Sessions
6
Lunch & Learns
MARCH 11–12, 2027
// Happening Now · Summer 2026

Summer AI Sessions:HBCU Innovators at the Table

Four virtual lunch & learns this summer, 12–1 PM Central, starting July 10. A creative, safe space to share how your HBCU is putting innovation first with AI — open to faculty, administration, students, and partners.

The 4 Summer Sessions
  • Session 1Jul 10
  • Session 2Jul 19
  • Session 3Jul 24
  • Session 4Aug 6
See full series →
HBCU AICON keynote stage with humanoid robot Benji

"AI Empowered. HBCU Driven. Shaping Tomorrow Together."

// About the Summit

Where Black Innovation Meets the Future of AI.

From March 11–12, 2027, Huston-Tillotson University - Austin's first institution of higher education and only HBCU - hosts the inaugural HBCU AI Conference & Training Summit, anchoring a year-round activation series across the national HBCU innovation network.

Convening leaders from academia, industry, and government to advance AI research, education, and career pathways within HBCUs - and to put AI to work in real classrooms, labs, and communities every month of the year.

When
March 11–12, 2027
Where
Huston-Tillotson University, Austin TX
// Year-Round Engagement

Putting AI Into Action.

One conference. Twelve months of activation. A continuous loop of learning, deployment, and impact.

01
Conference
Mar 11–12, 2027
02
AI Pop-Ups
September / October
03
Lunch & Learns
4 Sessions
04
Workforce Dev
Ongoing
05
Ecosystem
National
◇ 12-Month Engagement Journey ◇
Section 01

AI Certification Pop-Ups @ HT

  • Sponsor-branded, on-campus AI training throughout the year
  • Direct engagement with students and faculty
  • Showcase tools, use cases, and recruit talent at the source
  • Position sponsors as part of the learning experience
Section 02

AI Lunch & Learn Series - 4 Sessions

  • Four virtual sessions
  • Spotlight HBCUs implementing AI to solve real problems
  • Sponsors co-host, feature speakers, or present use cases
  • National visibility well beyond the conference
// The Audience

Engaging 600+ Visionaries across 1/3 of the nation's HBCUs.

Four converging audiences. One national stage. Sponsors meet the people who will build, regulate, teach, and lead the next decade of AI.

HBCU Presidents convening at HBCU AICON 2026
HBCU Presidents · AICON 2026
01

Tech Revolutionists

Policy makers, advocates, and ethicists shaping AI for social good and responsible application.

02

Tech Enthusiasts

Curious professionals exploring AI's influence across industries and personal practice.

03

Tech Gurus

Industry leaders, educators, and decision-makers deploying AI in education and operations.

04

Tech Futurists

HBCU students and young STEAM graduates seeking hands-on AI learning and career launchpads.

Demystifying AI
Empowering HBCUs through innovation
Workforce Pipeline
AI education access at HBCUs
Social Good
Community impact through AI

Partner With HBCU AICON

Join leading organizations backing a national AI activation ecosystem rooted in HBCUs, workforce development, and equitable innovation.

Become a Sponsor